60 years on: from despair to joy is an emotional and inspiring film that brings to life the journey from the deep despair of the Holocaust to the joy of celebrating Israel’s 60th anniversary. My goal is to help today’s adults and teens better understand where we all have come from.
The film charts six men’s family history in connection with the Holocaust and then shares their experiences visiting the concentration camps at Auschwitz and Birkenau and then going straight to Israel from Birkenau. Being at the concentration camps shook me to the core and then to be in Israel in time for both Memorial Day and Independence Day, celebrating 60 years since Israel’s founding, was so incredibly moving.
The inspiration for the film arises out of the fact that our generation have some knowledge of the Holocaust and its devastating impact, and then the subsequent founding and growth of the State of Israel, as our parents generation either lived through or passed away as a result of it. However our children are another generation removed from that first hand connection. What they know is learned from textbooks or by listening to us. It is wonderful that is the case but at the same time they have become somewhat distant from their history and the real world. The distractions of hours spent on Facebook, video games and shopping at the mall is leading to detachment and a worrying sense of entitlement.
While it is fantastic that our children live in a relatively trouble free environment, it’s important that we educate them about where they and the world come from and that it has not always been this easy. They need to be aware of the threat of anti Semitism and against Israel’s right to exist and racism in general, as they grow older.
My hope is that you will find seeing the film a valuable experience and gain a deeper perspective on a major issue that has shaped the world over the last 60+ years. And of course it’s still having a major impact on the world today. Thank you for letting me share it with you.
— Clive
“60 years on: from despair to joy” is Clive’s first documentary feature film. His passion is to use film to help educate today’s generations about the lessons that can be learned from modern history.
Clive grew up in London, England and has a background in finance and journalism. After graduating in Business Studies in 1984, he became a journalist with the Financial Times and was involved in developing the FT’s initial entry into electronic publishing, delivering FT information on line.
In 1986 he joined the London Stock Exchange as Marketing Manager for their on-line information services. In 1989 he moved to New York to become Managing Director of the Exchange’s US office, delivering the London markets and trading services to US investors.
In 1995 he joined JPMorgan Investment Management as a marketing and client portfolio manager and moved on to lead their Marketing Strategy and Communications group. He joined Capital Guardian in 1997 to lead the marketing effort for their global institutional investment management services and has worked with a range of institutional and high net worth investors, advising them on how to manage their assets effectively and developed solutions to meet their needs.
Clive lives in New Jersey, just outside New York City and has 4 daughters.
Paul Brozen has spent his life focused on capturing film images that are compelling to their audience. Whether on stills or film, Paul sees an angle that others don't. His work has included corporate films for New York law firms, bat mitzvahs in the woody Catskills and orthodox Jewish weddings in Williamsburg.
Paul's humor is second to none and his diligence at his craft is unceasing. Some know him as the prince of dry humor, others as the king of Model T’s and other classic cars, while others as the guy on the set of "Life On Mars" driving his classic '67 Chevy or “Boardwalk Empire” (a new series coming to HBO) driving his Studebaker and Model T Fords.
Paul put his heart and soul into this film. He approached "60 years on: from despair to joy" as a new page in his life, wanting to tell a story that would move others. In the process he has taken his craft to its highest peaks to date.
Paul is married with 3 children and lives in New York City.